


The Princess of Light and The Shadow of the Sage

by ShireBeast



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: Best Friends, Platonic Relationships, Zelda and Sheik are separate characters, but not enough to put it in the ship tags, canon related but not compliant, implied malon/zelda, one shot that turned into a multi chapter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-20
Updated: 2020-06-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:41:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22821967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShireBeast/pseuds/ShireBeast
Summary: "...All of Hyrule needed the two to be as close together as possible in case the princess had to go into hiding. The Sheikah had an ancient technique that the Royal Family never had need for, but each young monarch was trained incase chaos ever arose. The two children were just happy to have a friend..."A Zelda and Sheik story of friendship, hardships, and what it means to grow up as one person...~~~ On Hiatus ~~~
Relationships: Impa & Sheik (Legend of Zelda), Impa & Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Sheik & Zelda (Legend of Zelda), implied zelda/link and sheik/link
Comments: 10
Kudos: 14





	1. The Run Down

**Author's Note:**

> Not beta'd, we die like moblins.
> 
> Edit on 4/5/20: I'm adding more chapters to this because I'm starting to really love this idea. First chapter is more of the "abridged" version, if you will. Second chapter starts just as Link gets the third spiritual stone and should be in some sort of chronological order after that :) enjoy!

“Did you finish the book I gave you?”

Sheik shifted in his seat, looking away as the young princess questioned him. They sat in the castle’s court yard as the summer sun smiled down at them. Zelda was busying herself with a pile of flowers they had picked together, weaving the stems into a circlet. 

It was under the king’s orders that the two seven-year-olds had this time alone, no guards hovering over them as they talked. They all needed the two to be as close together as possible in case the princess had to go into hiding. The sheikah had an ancient technique that the royal family never had need for, but each young monarch was trained incase chaos ever arisen. The two children were just happy to have a friend.

“I didn’t... Not yet at least.”

She frowned at him, her fingering stilling around a loose petal.

“You were right, though. I do love it,” the young boy raised his hands in near defense as he continued, “I’m up to the part where the wizard is telling the girl about the dragon knight. I don’t trust the traveling bard, though.”

A wide smile stretched across her face. “You’re pretty far in then, it would seem.”

“It’s hard to put it down. Lady Impa has her ways to pull me out though.”

The princess laughed as she continued working. She knew very well her nursemaid’s animus of them ‘lazing around with fairytales all day and neglecting their duties,’ her words repeated on the daily. 

“She’s not here now, my shadow. We can catch up on our reading.” She had a mischievous gleam in her eyes, as if she was suggesting sabotage and not mere bookworming. 

“Lady Impa said this time is for our bonding, for when we need to merge spirits. We can’t just-“

“Oh, you sound just like her,” she interrupted, “We _are_ bonding! I want to talk about the plot with you! I want to know how you react when you find out the merchant and the bard are- oops! Almost gave it way,” she placed a gloved hand over her mouth and giggled.

“The bard and the merchant are what? What does bard do? I knew he was evil! Oh, Zelda, don’t do this to me!” The poor boy’s eyes were wide as his thoughts and theories about the story went racing.

She shrugged, feigning regret as she leaned over and placed the flower crown on his head. “Guess you’ll have to wait until your next rest day to find out. When is that? Four nights?”

Sheik groaned. “Five nights.”

She snickered, plucking a stray leaf out of his bangs and adjusting the petals just so. “You still want to turn down my offer?”

He eyed her suspiciously and she simply smiled and batted her eyelashes, an innocent girl again. She kept her blue eyes on his red ones as she picked up two more stems to start her own crown of flora.

“Let me get my copy.”

——

Sheik stood on the thickest branch of the dead oak that towered over Lake Hylia. The hero disappeared into the Temple of Water well over a night ago but the sheikah couldn’t find it in himself to take his eyes off the shallow water’s black surface. 

_“Sheik, he’ll be fine.”_

Zelda’s voice echoed silently in his head and he sighed. 

“I know, it’s just hard not to worry,” he responded quietly to the night air, “He’s our last hope and you know it. If he fails…” 

“ _I know, my shadow. However, we can not think like that. Our hope is just as powerful as the Blade of Evil’s Bane. Besides,”_ she mused, “ _Those strong, muscular arms that wield said sword seem pretty capable of defending themselves. I know for a fact your keen eyes picked up on that bit of his form,”_ she hummed, _“as well as the rest of him.”_

He could feel his ears burn. “Stop, he’s the Hero of Time.”

“ _Yeah, and I’m the Princess of Light and you’re the Shadow of the Sage and blah blah blah. Sheik, he’s a very handsome boy. There’s nothing wrong with-“_

“How do I know it’s not just you feeling it?” He interrupted.

There was silence.

It wasn’t a new idea. They knew every feeling and thought that crossed their mind was one, a side affect of merging spirits that they both were fully aware of. When Sheik had an undeniable need to eat the steamed crab a Zora offered him, he knew that was Zelda. He was allergic to shellfish and the smell alone made his stomach churn. 

During the night, they would dream as one, as well; memories of combat training with Lady Impa and long study hours with the royal tutors mingled into one continuous collective that played with their fears of Ganondorf and the very real threat of death. More than once Sheik woke to the princess screaming in his head and his own body shaking with a cold sweat.

But attraction to the hero? Who was feeling that? They both knew the legends of the Hero of Fate and Princess of Destiny and how their lives were tied in a never ending knot and so on and so forth. Where would the sheikah even fit into that?

“ _Well,”_ the princess started, “ _it could be both of us.”_

Sheik blinked.

“Now there’s a thought…”

“ _Indeed.”_

There was silence among the two that were one. The moon set and the sun started to warm the sky with pink and violet hues. They heard the cucco crow with Sheik’s ears and he let out a sigh. A new day again. With a loud rush of waves, the water of the lake started to swell up again.

“He did it!” Sheik found himself jumping with excitement as he felt Zelda’s own glee fill his chest. Relief flooded both of them as fast as the water flooded the lake. A blue light signaled Link’s return and Sheik felt his heart jump. 

The next few moments were a blur as he let Zelda take full control of his mouth, speaking words he barely heard as he looked at the Hero. His blue eyes were intense, dark circles ghosting the undersides of them. Sheik let the princess finish what ever she had to say, thanking her silently as he was at a complete loss of words. He felt her giggle in his mind and a soft ‘you’re welcome'. 

Link was looking out into the lake when she finished her speech, his wet hair glistening in the morning light. He was thinking, by the looks of it, absentmindedly chewing on his bottom lip as his fairy sat on top of his hat. Blue was a nice color on him.

“ _I don’t think that’s me thinking about his lips there, my dear shadow.”_

Zelda had the gall to snicker as she teased him. His face grew hot as he averted his eyes. He shot up the tree and grumbled, watching the blond turn around to find himself alone. Zelda snickered again and Sheik gritted his teeth.

“ _Can’t run away from the Hero forever, my little shadow. We gotta teach him the next song.”_

Link didn’t see him flip off the edge of the island but he must of heard the splash when the sheikah’s body broke the surface, running over to see if he was okay. But, of course, like always, they were already gone.

…

Zelda’s laughter in his mind didn’t die down when he stepped off the platform in front of the Shadow Temple. 

“It’s not that funny!” He barked, his ears still hot with embarrassment. She hummed, amused, and if she was in her own body, he knew she would be whipping a tear from her eye in mirth. 

“ _Sure, sure. I highly doubt that was me backflipping into the gods darn lake to avoid my feelings, though, honey.”_

Sheik sneered and was about to snap a undoubtably witty come back when his heart stopped. He smelled smoke. He looked up. Huge flames of destruction were consuming Kakariko. His home was burning.

“ _Oh, no… Where’s…?”_

“Impa…” he finished her sentence before vaulting over the fence and sprinting to the town.

——

“How could you be so stupid!” 

Link up looked at Sheik from the flat of his back, his ears drawn back as the sheikah chastised him. The flames were just dying embers around them as the hero sat up, recovering after stepping in front of Sheik to protect him. The spirit that shot out of the well was gone but the ache in his body remained. 

“You could of gotten yourself killed! You couldn’t even see the damn thing, Link! And you thought you could take it? What the hell where you _thinking_ , you damn moron? You’re not immortal! You’re no use to Hyrule if you’re dead! You have to _think_ before you charge headfirst to a literally invisible monster!” 

“Y-you were hurt,” Link’s voice was soft and small, like a child trying to hold back tears as he apologized, “I couldn’t let it get you. I-I’m sorry.”

Sheik groaned and rubbed the bridge of his nose as regret washed over him. He silently reminded himself that Link _was_ a child in a sense. You can’t mature for seven years if you’re asleep for it.

“ _He was just trying to help, Sheik. He’s okay now. Just breathe,”_ Zelda soothed. He could feel her panic though. Impa was still in danger and they were running out of time.

“Right. Well,” Sheik said as he took a shaky breath, “just don’t do that again.”

Link nodded and his fairy flew out from under his hat as he sat up. She spoke to the boy in a voice so small that Sheik couldn’t hear a word she said, but the hero smiled and told her he was fine. 

Sheik sighed again and held out his hand to help Link up. He took it and was pulled to his feet. Sheik explained about the well, the dark spirit that his guardian sealed down there, the danger she was in and the fact that she was one of the Sages he needed to find. He did this all with a steady voice and Zelda commended him for not freaking out again, even if he could feel them both trembling in fear. 

Link just nodded, stoic as ever and ready to go into the face of death. 

“ _He’s just a kid…”_ the princess’s voice was small. Sheik shuttered with the weight of their shared guilt.

“I have to teach you this song, but promise me you’ll find the Lens of Truth before you go barging into the Shadow Temple, okay? It’s the only way you can fight the curse that lays inside.”

Link nodded slowly as he repeated the words, “Lens of Truth.”

“Yes, good. Well,” Sheik took out his lyre and cleared his throat, “got enough breath in you to play?”

The boy’s blue eyes lit up as he pulled out his ocarina and Sheik felt his heart swell.

_He maybe a child, Zel,_ he thought, _but I know he can do this. He’ll save us._

——

“You’ve done so well, my child.”

Impa’s hand was cold against Sheik’s hot cheek as he came to. His eyes fluttered open as he looked up at her, his body and mind feeling much lighter than he ever remembered them being before.

“Wh-where am I?” His voice was hoarse and his head pulsed. Last thing he remembered was seeing a bright light as Zelda separated them and revealed herself to Link. This definitely wasn’t the Temple of Time.

“Home, Sheik,” she said. The woman smiled, sorrow in her eyes as she spoke.

“D-did we win?”

“Yes, child, we won. The Hero and the Princess defeated Ganondorf and we sages sealed him in the Dark Realm. All is at peace for now.”

“That’s good…” His head spun and he closed his eyes again, trying not to focus on the pain. “Is Zelda okay? She can’t be much better than me. I feel like I’m…” he trailed off, not knowing how to put it in words, the complete emptiness he felt in his being with out the princess fused with him.

“She’s more than fine,” Impa’s smile lacked that regret from before as she spoke, “She’s doing much better than you are, actually. She’s more than happy to have her own body back.”

Sheik open his eyes again and he sat up a bit too quickly, the blood draining from his head. Impa tried to tell him to rest more and recover but he was already scrambling out of the bed. Zelda had her body again! There was no time for this silly set back of physical aliments. He needed to see his best friend again! Really see her! After all, seven years is a long time to not see her face and no amount of blackness around his vision could stop him from getting to her.

He ran out into the rain that poured over Kakariko, shoeless feet sloshing in mud puddles. He knew where she would be- paying respects to her ancestors. Thanking them for the victory, no doubt. He sprinted up the steps to the graveyard, his hair a wet mess on his shoulders that were finally free of his wrappings. His white hair. His true hair.

“Zelda!”

She looked up at him from under the awning of the grave digger’s shack, her golden hair tied back in a bun. She had something in her hands that she was fiddling with. She must of been waiting out the rain by the looks of it, her shoes showing no trace of mud or muck. She was beautiful.

“Sheik!” 

She dropped her item into the pocket of her dress and she ran to him, jumping on him into a bear hug. He fell back with her on top of him, laughing as he hugged her tightly to him. He was completely soaked as they held each other in a grip that would put most vices to shame, the puddle they landed in quickly sopping into any dry area of clothing he had left. She finally loosened her grip and leaned up on her hands, looking down at him, wearing a smile that was as warm as the sun.

“We did it!” She said, laughing as she pushed a heavy lock of wet hair off her face. 

“I heard!” He said, out of breath from laughing, running, and being tackled by his best friend, “Impa told me you and Link took on Ganon. I wish I could of seen it! It must of been terrifying! Where’s Link?” 

His smile fell as Zelda looked away, her face in a panicking mix of emotions that Sheik couldn’t read. Sudden realization of what she was holding before smashed into him like a boulder. It was the Ocarina of Time.

“Wh-what happened? D-did he…” his body went cold, unable to ask if Link was alive for fear of the answer.

“No, he lived. He’s okay,” she replied quickly. She got off of him and stood, wiping her hands on her now ruined dress. Her face betrayed her words.

“Zelda, what happened?”

He sat up on his elbows, looking up at the princess as she bit her lip and looked towards the sky.

“I sent him home,” she whispered, “To his own time.”

Sheik gripped the grass beneath his hands. 

“Oh,” he said quietly.

“I’m sorry, Sheik. I couldn’t of just…,” she shook her head, wet hair clinging to her neck and forehead, “I had to give him back those seven years. They were stolen from him. I-I had to right what I had done wrong. He was just a child.”

Sheik scrambled to his feet and hugged the princess as she started sobbing. She was taller than him. Thinner, too. He rubbed small circles on her back, her face buried in his shoulder. The two stayed there in the rain until Zelda finally gave one last sniffle and drew away from the sheikah. 

“S-sorry,” she started saying again, “He’s gone. I didn’t even let you say good-bye…”

“No, no,” Sheik said, shushing her and wiping a bit of dirt off her cheek, “you did the right thing. We both know that. Link knows that, too. He deserves those years. You did nothing wrong. Our kingdom is saved. Link’s safe. We’re safe. Everything is okay.”

He gave her a warm smile and she gave him a weak one in return, her eyes still holding the sadness of a thousand grieves.

“Thank you, Sheik,” she said, taking his hands in hers.

“But, of course! ’Tis my sacred duty. Anything for you, princess,” he quipped, kissing her knuckles. She giggled halfheartedly and batted him away.

“Let’s go back to the house. I’m sure Impa will have some words for us and our,” she gestured to their muddy wet clothes, “uncleanliness.”

Sheik snickered. “We were just basking in the gift that is Nayru’s pure and blessed rain.” 

She laughed and rolled her eyes, grabbing his arm to pull him back to town. The young monarch and her shadow had many hard tasks ahead of them. They needed to come up with a plan for the castle, to rebuild Hyrule, to work back into having lives of their own, and so much more.

But, for now, they just needed to feel the rain on their skin and hear the other’s laughter. They deserved that much and, for once, the Goddesses gave them what they wanted.

——


	2. Becoming One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Age 11: Seven Years Remaining

_Zelda is never this quiet_ , Sheik remembered thinking. 

That afternoon was uneventful. The Sheikah boy had just returned from a week of intense training and was too tired to do much with the young princess besides read. If all their bonding exercises were this relaxing, Sheik would have loved to do nothing else. Yet, every time he would finish a chapter and look to the little princess, her own book was on the same page, her eyes staring blankly without seeing.

They ate lunch in the garden as usual. Sheik was eating all the veggies Zelda wouldn’t touch, as was their deal. He would eat the vile green plants and she would give him extra cake. It was a win-win that Sheik couldn’t turn down. He didn’t even let her know he loved the peas and broccoli that she “forced” him to eat.

But, as he brought up his third forkful to his mouth, he hesitated. Zelda’s eyes were down cased and she didn’t so much as touch her plate. 

“What’s wrong?” He finally asked.

She was silent. Her eyes were glazed over, deeply lost in thought.

“Zel?” He tried, speaking a little louder.

She flinched and blinked a few times, looking up at him.

“What?” 

“I asked what’s wrong,” he repeated, placing his fork down.

“Oh,” she squeaked, looking back down at her plate, “It’s nothing.”

Sheik rolled his eyes, not believing her for one second.

“Lady Impa says we can’t become one if we hold secrets from each other, Princess.”

She glared at him. “It’s not a _secret_ ,” she hissed, “I’m just worried.”

“About?” He asked, tilting his head to the side in question.

“The boy with the fairy,” she muttered, stabbing her fork into her meal, “Link has been gone for a while. What if he’s hurt?”

Sheik looked unimpressed. “You sent him to Death Mountain and he was fine. _You_ were fine. The place literally has _death_ in it’s name and you didn’t lose a wink of sleep. I’m sure going to the Zoras and asking for the sapphire will be a piece of cake for him. Why are you-…” 

She stabbed her fork violently into her food again and effectively cut him off.

“I mean,” Sheik joked nervously, “Besides Ruto. She can be a handful. Or armful, as it were…”

The princess shot daggers at him, her blue eyes clouded with lack of sleep.

“We’re running out of time,” she growled, “Something awful is coming.”

The Sheikah looked at her, watching the way her eyebrows creased as her face struggled to hide her anxiety with a mask of anger. He didn’t know it at the time, but her premonitions of danger had always been her keenest sense. 

Something awful did come that night.

…

The rain outside poured in sheets, blinding the village of Kakariko with curtains of water. A loud boom of thunder fell in perfect time with a blinding bolt of lightning. Sheik wrapped his blanket around his shoulders and stood from his bed, trying not to jump as the shack rattled with another fierce rumble from the sky.

He was alone, his one rest day in what felt like months. It wasn’t fair that the storm kept him up when all he wanted to do was sleep. He shuffled down to the lower level of Impa’s home, the blanket falling behind him like a king’s robe. After lighting a lantern on the table, he wiggled his way into his favorite spot. It was a small nook between the towering bookshelf and a small half-wall that cornered the cow’s cage. He felt safe there.

“Do you think Impa is alright, Miss Moo-moo?” He muttered to his bovine friend, leaning his head on the wooden boards. 

The cow let out a low moo in response and Sheik half smiled.

“Yeah, she’s stronger than any storm,” he hummed.

Another clap of thunder had the shack shaking again. He buried his head into his knees, covering himself completely with his blanket. Nothing could harm him when he was in this cocoon of warmth…

The door of the shack suddenly bursted open with a clatter and large boots stomped down. The storm tried to find its way in only to have the door shutting it back out again with a loud slam.

“Sheik!” 

The small Sheikah peeked out from under his cover at Impa. She was drenched and holding a quivering child to her chest. 

_Oh no_.

“Sheik, it’s time! Now!!”

He shimmied out of his safe corner to his guardian as she placed the girl she was holding onto the ground. Zelda was soaked like a drowned rat, her golden curls matted against each other and eyes filled with fear as she looked to the boy.

“N-now?” Sheik squeaked out. 

Impa nodded, face stoic and fists clenched. The two children looked at each other, knowing what they had to do. The princess was shivering violently. 

“W-we’ve practiced so much, m-my shadow,” she stuttered, giving a weak smile and extending her quaking hands, “it w-will be eas-s-s-sy.”

He took both of her freezing hands with his, holding them close to his chest as he closed his eyes. 

“Easy…” he repeated softly.

The room shifted and Miss Moo-moo let out a terrified bellow. Impa shielded her eyes as light flooded the room. The holy illumination was so blinding, the lightning outside seemed to be a mere flicker. Sheik wasn’t sure who was screaming, but he felt his throat vibrate with the sound. Soon, everything was black.

——

Sheik looked around. His was head spinning. A white fog stretched across an endless scape. Was he walking on water? He took a hesitant step forward, small splashes confirming his suspicions.

“Sheik?”

He turned, Zelda’s voice echoing around the entire plane of existence. It hurt.

“Zelda,” he answered, finding his voice had the same effect, “did it work?”

“I think so,” she said as she looked at her hands, “I can’t feel my body.”

Sheik cocked his head to the side, then looked at his own hands. 

They weren’t his own. 

He blinked a few times, wondering why he felt that way. They were the same hands he always had. Tanned and scarred, a white line across his palm from where he took the Sheikah blood oath. They were definitely his own hands.

“What happened,” he asked.

“Ganondorf,” she stated flatly.

“I gathered that,” he huffed, “What about the green fairy boy? Link?”

“He opened the door to the Sacred Realm, but…” She closed her eyes and sighed. “But when he took the Master Sword, it trapped him in a deep sleep. Rauru says it’s because he’s too young to carry it just yet. Ganondorf used it as an opportunity to take the Triforce. Yet, thankfully, when he touched it, it split.”

“Wait, Link’s trapped?” He choked out, “How long is he stuck there? Can we get him out?”

“No, we can’t. We have to wait for the sword to release him when he’s sixteen.”

“We have to wait five years!?” 

They both winced as his shriek filled the vast void of this dreamscape.

“…Seven,” Zelda whispered after her head recovered from the ache.

Sheik’s hands fell to his sides. The boy was only nine years old? He never met him but Zelda told him plenty about the boy from the forest. However, the princess neglected to mentioned that the boy was basically a _baby_. She referred to him as a child, sure, but so were they. The two were both eleven years themselves, not much older than Link, but _nine years old_ is just…

“I don’t like this,” the Sheikah said, his voice hushed and frail even with the painful echoes. 

“Me neither,” the princess muttered back, “I’m scared.”

Sheik looked back up to her, reaching his hands out to her. He knew his purpose more than anything else. He was the Shadow of the Sage. He was the Princess of Light’s cloak, her shield when there was no sword. With the small hero locked away, she only had him now to hold back the King of Darkness.

“Don’t be,” he told her, “I’m here to protect you.”

She smiled at him and took his hands with hers.

“Thank you, my dear shadow.”

The back of the princess’s hand glowed and they both looked down. The Sacred Triangle pulsed light from the piece she now housed. The fragment that she represented more potently. The piece that chose her.

The Triforce of Wisdom.

Something strange stirred in his chest, a nagging feeling of a destiny that he did not belong in. She was one with the Golden Goddesses, her champion in a slumber that will last for seven summers. The two were merely pawns on a celestial chess board.

But Sheik was nothing more than a square for the Queen to navigate.

——

A dull moo woke Sheik up, same as countless other mornings. His head pulsed and he covered his eyes with his hands, the sunlight from the window too much for right now. A cold hand brushed his bangs off his forehead.

“How are you feeling, my child?” 

Impa’s voice was soft and motherly, two qualities he had never before heard from her.

“Bad,” he answered honestly, “everything hurts.”

The elder gave a sympathetic smile and ran her hands down his face gently. He leaned into her touch and she hummed softly. His body relaxed as he recognized her song.

_My lullaby._

He opened his eyes briefly, taken aback by his thoughts. 

_No, its Zelda’s._

“ _Yeah, I know it’s mine. That’s why I said it.”_ Zelda’s voice echoed in his head, no noise entering his ears.

“Zelda?” Sheik asked aloud. Impa’s face scrunched in concern, her song halting.

“ _Yes?”_

“I can… hear you,” he said hesitantly, “but how?”

Impa’s hand retreated from his cheek as she watched him have a conversation with the silence.

“ _I’m… not sure,”_ Zelda answered.

“I thought you were going to be some dormant presence in me,” Sheik wondered aloud, “Not some voice in my head."

He watched his guardian’s jaw clench. Her eyes were dark from lack of sleep and her face was shallow with years of stress clawing its way out.

“ _She’s surprised, too, it would seem,”_ the princess’s voice whispered.

“You can hear the princess?” Impa asked. She sounded accusing, as if this set back was somehow Sheik’s fault.

“Yes,” he answered, looking up at her. She looked away and grumbled. Next thing he knew, she pulled him from the bed and dragged him down to the main floor.

“You two clearly didn’t have time to bond enough before this,” she growled, the young boy not sure if she was angry at them or at the unfortunate situation, “which would explain why you look like this, as well.”

Sheik was about to ask what she meant but was cut short, his reflection as an obvious answer. His breath was caught in his throat as he studied his new body. 

It was all wrong. 

His white hair was golden now, falling in his same style but with foreign curls nestled between sporadic locks. His dark skin was abruptly sliced to a pale peach down his chin and neck with splotches of the princess’s color on his hands and forearms as well. His eyelashes were longer, eyes bigger and his arms thinner. His hips were even a noticeable fraction wider. Worst of all, his ears were long and pointed. The Sheikah touched his new Hylian features with panic. 

_“He’ll know what we did,”_ Zelda’s voice cried, _“Ganondorf will see right through this!”_

“Wh-what do we do?!” Sheik asked, hysteria in his raising voice.

“I’ll think of something,” Impa mumbled, “Don’t worry. We’ll figure this out.”

…

True to her word, the elder came up with an easy solution. Though it was hot and scratchy, a cloth cowl was snaked around his lower face and head, effectively covering both the princess’s curls and pale skin that he now donned. His ears were painful to tuck into wrappings, but he could manage a bit of discomfort for the sake of safety. Bandages on his fingers and braces on his arms easily covered the other ivory flesh. Padding on his shoulders gave the illusion of more masculine proportions for added effect.

Impa forbade him from leaving the shack without his new uniform. He easily agreed even as he tugged his collar down to let some fresh air cool his suffocating skin. Miss Moo-Moo gave a loud grunt as if to disapprove the boy’s new oppressive outfit. The Sage of Shadow gave her no mind.

“We resume training tomorrow morning,” she stated, her usual strict tone back, “Make sure you rest up, Sheik. We have no room for error now.”

“ _Oh,_ ** _now_** _we no room for error? Were we able to goof off before? I don’t remember ever having the option. I would of taken full advantage,”_ Zelda murmured sarcastically. Sheik couldn’t help his smile.

Impa quirked a brow. “What are you smirking about?”

_“Oops, I guess she can’t hear me, huh,”_ the princess mused, _“So… I guess I can say anything now. Ha! No more silent princess! Well, I guess I’m silent to everyone else. But, that’s their loss, right?”_

“Nothing,” Sheik replied to the Sage, biting his cheek to make sure his face remained neutral as Zelda continued.

_“Ooh,_ _I can even say forbidden words,_ ” he heard her say softly. Sheik tightened his lip, not really ready to hear curse words from the golden princess. Then, not so softly, her voice rang out loudly in his head. _“_ ** _Buttocks_** _!”_

That was it. The straw that broke the camel’s back. Sheik barked out a laugh as he held his stomach.

“Out of everything you could of said,” he giggled, “you chose _that_?”

_“Why, of course! We all must start somewhere,”_ she cooed, happy to make him laugh, “ _I just figured I should start small before I work my way up.”_

“If you continue to speak to the princess aloud, you will draw unwanted attention. I suggest you keep it to a _minimum_ ,” Impa chastised curtly. Her red eyes were glowering at him and he felt himself sink down, laughter dying with a hollow feeling of shame settling into his stomach. 

“Yes, Lady Impa,” he said quietly.

Then, before he could understand what was happening, he felt himself glare at her. “Maybe my first true curse should be ‘bitch’,” he heard his voice say with out his permission, “because that’s what Impa’s being right now.”

The room feel silent as Sheik’s mouth opened in horror. Even Miss Moo-Moo seemed shocked, bits of hay falling from her mouth. Impa’s eyes were wide, a burning fury behind them that the boy hardly ever saw. He felt in his heart that Zelda _never_ saw it before. He felt her fear and regret as vibrant as his own emotions.

“ **What.** ” 

The Sage’s teeth were gritted as she spoke down to the fused children. 

“Uh,” he said lamely, hoping to quell the situation as quickly as possible, “I guess the princess can use my mouth, huh? That’s neat.”

Impa, who’s glaring red eyes had not left the boy’s, did not, in fact, find it “neat”. He swallowed.

“Sorry,” he whispered. 

“Princess,” she started, her voice an eerie blend of dark and calm, “I believe I do not have to tell you that you are not to attempt that again.”

Sheik felt his head nod.

“Furthermore,” she continued, “You two must learn how to cooperate as one being. I still expect you in the training grounds before dawn tomorrow. Do I make myself clear?”

Her tone left no room for argument so Sheik nodded again with a short “yes, ma’am” for good measure.

He prayed for a swift seven winters…


	3. Difference of Opinion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ages 12-13: Five years remaining

——(Age 12) ——

Sheik wrapped his blistering hands with aloe soaked bandages as he sat on the wall overlooking the village. Impa had no issue with pushing his training an extra three hours that day, despite the boy almost collapsing twice. His new outfit was light enough to move around in with his usual dexterity, but like the first one, lacked any breathing room. Every drop of sweat did nothing as his body heat was trapped beneath his disguise, his hot breath biting back at him with every exhale.

It was all the more reason to push harder. This was nothing more than a small set back, a temporary obstacle that was to be overcome. He would have to learn how to fight with the same fury he always had with the added heat of an inferno. He had to keep going.

A storm was brewing in the southwest, the smell of rain creeping up from the grass around him. A bird called a few miles away, his ears twitching as he heard every note of its song. The wall he sat upon was tall enough that the townsfolk beneath him would be unable to see his features, let alone the new additions to his face. Yet, despite this, he did not move to remove any of his cloth trappings, much to Zelda’s irritation. 

“ _Why are you doing this to yourself?”_

He let out a small huff, securing the last of his bandages with a loose tie. She knows why. She knows he is bound by sacred duty to protect the Royal Family. If he was to fulfill his role as the Sage’s Shadow, he would have to make sure no harm came to the princess. He had to keep her secret. Keep her safe.

_“At least go get some water,”_ she whispered. Then, for added measure, said, _“dehydration and overheating can take its toll on not only physical, but mental performance as well.”_

Another small huff and he leapt from the bricks, landing as gracefully as a cat. Zelda hummed smugly. Another victory for the wise princess. Sheik rolled his eyes.

—— (Age 13) ——

Sheik sat with his legs crossed in a lotus, his eyes closed and his back straight. He took a deep breath and let the air fill his lungs, holding it for a short while and exhaling it slowly. He felt the earth beneath his body and the heat of the sun on his skin. A cucco crowed from the other side of the village and he was one with-

_“By Nayru! This is soooo boring.”_

Zelda’s voice in his mind pulled him out of his meditation like a rock to the head.

“Princess,” he hissed, eyes still closed, “Quiet.”

_“I fear I might die if I have to be silent for another second,”_ she moaned, _“Can’t we do something else? Let’s go exploring! I want to see what’s in the windmill!”_

“No, Zel,” he muttered, “We’re meditating.”

_“You sound just like Impa,_ ” she huffed, _“so bossy and annoying.”_

“That’s because she’s taking this seriously,” he snapped back, “and if I sound like her, maybe that means you’re the only one failing to see the big picture.”

There was silence. He felt his heart sink from his own words. Her emotions battled his for bodily reactions. He wanted to be alone. They needed to see Impa.

…

Lady Impa waited patiently at her desk, scarlet eyes following Sheik as he paced the house and spoke aloud in a seemingly one-sided conversation. She allowed the boy to speak freely to the princess, knowing that voicing one’s thoughts could be instremenoal to one’s mental health. Yet, as the teenager furiously rounded the small home for the thirtieth time, she was doubting that it was going in his favor.

“No, Zel, I _don’t_ think we should-… Oh, that’s _real_ mature! Maybe if you would _listen_ for once, we could sti— That’s not what I meant! No!” 

Sheik stopped mid-step and fumed. He was silent as he cracked his knuckles one by one, a nervous habit he had since childhood. Impa stood, having enough of this, and put her hands on her hips. Silently, she drew his attention to her.

“Perhaps I can assist in what ever ailment you two seem to be in,” she monotoned. 

“Oh, wonderful, you’ve brought Impa into this,” Sheik said in a strange accent, rolling his eyes. The sage knew better than to think her ward was the one who spoke.

“Princess, if I may,” Impa said calmly, “If you two do not settle what ever dispute you are having, your spirits may force apart. I don’t think I have to tell you what would happen if that were the case.”

Sheik’s eyes widened as he realized. They would separate. Zelda would be revealed. Ganondorf would find her and take the Triforce of Wisdom and end the world before Link even woke up and it would be his fault and-

“Stop,” Impa snapped, “Panicking will help nothing.”

He sighed and scrubbed his face with his hands. “Yes, my Lady,” he muttered.

Impa’s glare softened a bit and she let out a small sigh. “Come,” she said, beckoning him to her. He stepped forward slowly, not looking her in the eye. He let out a tight gasp as her arms wrapped around him. There was silence in the shack as Impa hugged Sheik, rubbing small circles on his back. 

Slowly, tears filled his eyes. Every emotion he felt from his heart and the princess’s wormed their way out of him. He grasped at his elder’s back, letting himself sob into her shoulder with heavy shivers racking his body. As his wails crescendoed, Impa held him tighter. He wasn’t aware of how long he cried nor did he care. He was a river finally able to brake free of its dam— and with the princess, it was an ocean. 

It was all too much…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a short one so I smushed two years together :0


	4. Oh...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Age 14: Four years remaining

Impa, as the unofficial leader of Kakariko Village, saw to every complaint the residents had. Where a mayor or city official would have an office and set hours for the villagers to come to them, the former nursemaid had no such luxuries. Furthermore, as much as she was a force to be reckoned with, she was still only one woman. Fortunately for her, she had her young ward to carry out solutions for the lesser problems. Unfortunately for Sheik, he was that young ward.

He sat on the lowest perch of Lon Lon Ranch’s main barn, watching the young woman tend to her horses. A villager complained that the ranch hand, Ingo, swindled him out of 1,000 rupees. Impa sent Sheik to investigate the situation, but all he found was a quiet little family and too many cuccos. He didn’t complain, though; The young woman, Malon, was quite pretty and seemed to enjoy his company. She sang as she brushed the youngest filly, her voice like warm maple syrup on top of fluffy pancakes. A few times she’d look towards him with a smile that held more than kindness, but she’d slowly flick her long amber hair back and continue with her chores. 

_“You should go down and talk to her,”_ Zelda said after Sheik caught the farm girl looking at him again. He gave a small wave and she giggled, her laugh not unlike her singing.

“No, she’s busy,” he whispered, making sure nobody could hear him.

Zelda sighed, most liking rolling her eyes if she could. _“She’s been flirting with you for an hour now. The least you could do is jump down and talk to her.”_

Sheik’s face flushed a dark pink. “She’s not— I didn’t even— how has she been flirting with me?”

Zelda hummed, obviously amused. _“Girls don’t make those eyes at just anyone, my little shadow.”_

“Well, it’s not like I could do anything,” he mumbled.

_“You’re very charming, I’m sure you’d think of something to talk about.”_

“That’s not what I meant.”

_“Oh? What do you mean, then?”_

“I mean,” he paused, looking around to make sure no one was in ear shot as he whispered to himself, “I can’t kiss her or anything.”

Zelda laughed. _“Why not? I’m sure she’s like that very— Oh.”_

“Yeah,” Sheik grumbled, “Oh.”

They sat in silence as the beautiful farm girl finished her work for the day, a smile never leaving her face. The sun was beginning to make its way down when Sheik finally decided to head home. He jumped down from the roof, ignoring the way the vile chicken beasts were watching him. Content with leaving without saying goodbye, he tried to make his way to the gate.

Tried.

Malon’s hand caught his in a soft embrace. He stilled as she leaned over, lips close to his hidden ears.

“Where are you going, Shiekah boy?”

Chills went up and down his spine as she looked at him with her emerald eyes. Her smile was carefree, but when she bit her bottom lip just so, Sheik knew it wasn’t as innocent as it seemed.

“I’m sorry, Malon,” he said as he looked away, “I have to go back to the village.” 

“Without saying ‘good-bye’ to me?” 

He felt his head turn back to her, not knowing why. He felt himself lick his lips under the cowl as he glanced down her face. 

_Zelda,_ he pleaded mentally, _Stop!_

Suddenly, he regained control, shaking his head slightly. “Sorry, I usually don’t say any farewells. It’s a Sheikah… thing.”

Malon giggled, letting go of his hand. “Alright, alright. Just next time you’re here, you better talk to me.” She gave a wink and with that, left him alone under the archway. 

“What the hell was that?” He hissed as he made his way across Hyrule Field. 

_“I-I’m sorry,”_ Zelda stammered, _“I just felt like…”_

“What? That I should of kissed her without my own consent?”

_“N-no!”_

“Then what is it!?”

_“I just… I thought…”_

All at once, he felt it. He felt their heart racing as the princess thought of Malon’s voice and her soft looking lips. He felt her nervousness as her own wants moved the Sheikah’s body. He felt her want and desire for the farm girl, to hold her body close and to kiss her passionately and run her fingers through her long red hair.

Sheik stopped in the middle of the road. The wind blew gently across the grass with the promise of rain. Crickets began their symphony with the frogs as the stars blinked awake one by one. A whip-o-will sang alone.

“Oh,” he whispered to the night.

_“Yeah,”_ she mumbled, her voice defeated and small, _“Oh.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn't proof read very well so forgive my mistakes :0


	5. Patience, Princess.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Age 15: Three years remaining.

_“What is actually down there in the well? The one that has that funny little sign? Is it truly a passage to the crypts?”_

They were in the Zora’s Domain, delivering a package to the merchant there, when Zelda asked him. He stood in front of the entrance to Lord Jabu-Jabu’s spring, not knowing how to answer her. They were both good about keeping away from each other’s inner mind, but the princess had a sense of curiosity that wouldn’t quit. He sighed, running his fingers through his bangs as he brushed them away from his eyes, the parcel tucked safely under his arm.

“Later,” he muttered, “we’ll talk later.”

The princess hummed in thought for a moment, deciding how bad it would truly be if she just took a _little_ peek into his memories. Knowledge was power, was it not? And they needed to both be on the same page, as well…

“Stop,” he growled as he sloshed through the shallow water, “it’s not worth it.”

_“What could possible be so horrid that you can’t even tell me? And if it is something so bad, why is it in our water source? Should we be drinking from it?”_

Sheik rolled his eyes, not bothering to answer her. He bowed deeply to the ancient aquatic guardian before making his way to the other side of the spring. The domain was colder than normal, not quite done shaking the winter chills away as the dampness of spring came seeping in. The large cavernous palace wasn’t much warmer than outside, despite its rows of torches and lanterns.

“Ah,” a familiar taunting Zora called from the throne room, “If it isn’t Sheik the Sheikah!”

Princess Ruto strutted down the staircase to him, swaying her hips and flicking her fins in a show of flamboyant arrogance. Zelda groaned.

“Hello, your Highness,” the shadow monotoned, not bothering to stop as he continued towards the shop.

“Now, now. That is _no_ way to greet a friend, my sneaky Sheiky.”

_“Oh, puke. She did_ **_not_ ** _just call you that.”_

Ignoring both princesses, Sheik knocked on the shopkeeper’s door, shifting the package to his other arm. He could almost _feel_ the Zora’s glare without turning around. If it was one thing Ruto hated, it was being ignored— _especially_ by the Sheikah boy.

“Hey! I’m talking to you, shadow!”

“Indeed, you are,” he deadpanned.

The shop’s door flung open and the merchant gave Sheik a huge grin. Rows of razor sharp teeth glistened in the torch light as he took the box from the teen.

“Many thanks, lil’ stealthfin,” he said fondly as he traded over a bottle of thick blue potion, “Give your mistress this for her troubles.” 

Sheik bowed, smiling a little under his mask at the Zora’s nickname. The watery race always found him most delightful, many of the adults going out of their way to greet him when he visited. It felt like a second home to him. For many summers, before the castle fell, he would play in the crystal clear pools and dive off the waterfalls. The Zoras taught him how to swim, some even giving their scales to him to weave into his long white braid. Impa would sometimes let him spend the whole afternoon in Lake Hylia with the other children in a rare show of lenience. He knew she liked them, too. Somehow, that made it all the more special.

But that was years ago. Before his blood oath. Before the Desert King. Before joining with Zelda. Back when he was just Sheik, a little boy from Kakariko.

“Oh! And this for you,” the Zora said, pulling out a small purse of rupees as he winked. “You earned it.”

“Thank you, sir,” he said, bowing low once more.

When the door shut again, the Sheikah nearly forgot about the presence of the young monarch.Sadly, his peace was short lived as he turned around and almost smacked right into her. Ruto glared at him, eyes like onyx dropped in a river. 

“I find it more and more difficult to believe that _you_ are the one to help my beloved when he wakes,” she snapped.

Sheik blinked a few times.

“I beg your pardon?”

She tsk’d and shook her head. “My fiancé, you insolent moron. The one I’m going to marry. _You_ have to be the one to guide him.”

_“What in Din’s name is she going on about_ **_now_ ** _?”_

“I don’t understand what you’re speaking about, Princess.”

_“Or_ **_why_ ** _she’s speaking…”_

Ruto threw her arm over her forehead dramatically, sighing and carrying on. “Of course you don’t. My _Gods_ , you are dim. The boy I gave the Zora Sapphire to. The Hero! _Link!_ ”

Both Zelda and Sheik stared at her through his crimson, unblinking eyes. 

“You… are going to marry… Link?” 

Many years of intense training for war, for stealth missions and assignments, for spying on enemies and learning to lie through his teeth prepared Sheik for ridiculous moments just like this. However, when the Hylian princess flashed a memory she had of Link covered in dirt with a stupid grin on his face, he was having trouble keeping a straight face. The Zora crossed her arms, her scowl never leaving.

“Yes,” she mocked, “And somehow the Sages picked _you_ as his guide. Honestly, if Hyrule falls to Ganondorf’s wish, I know _exactly_ who to blame.”

He saw red. His jaw clenched and his fist gripped around the neck of the potion bottle. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly as he fought for control. Zelda’s rage filled his body like a roaring blaze. How _dare_ this fish treat her best friend in _such a horrible manner!? He has done nothing but train day in and day out for this task while this slimly little brat sat on her_ ** _ass with this delusion that she was to marry a boy who doesn’t even know what the word ‘betrothed’ means. How can she have the audacity to even THINK THAT THE-_**

Sheik closed his eyes and took a deep breath, pushing Zelda’s emotions away from his body with a slow exhale. He could handle this. He was here for that one job and now, with the job completed, has to return home. Ruto was spoiled, yes- ignorant, too- but that was not his problem. The girl just loves pushing buttons. She’s just bored and seeing how far she could push him. Nothing to freak out over.

“Thank you for your insightful words,” he said nonchalantly as he walked past her, “I’ll be sure to report your concerns with Lady Impa.” He turned his head slightly to glance her way. “I’m sure she can have a nice conversation with your father about your doubt in the Sages.”

He smirked under his cowl as her face blanched. Zelda’s wrath whipped away as she cackled in his head. Disrespecting her elders was a huge no-no in the Zora King’s eyes. But disrespecting the Seven Sages? That was blaspheme. Sheik left the speechless princess with a half-hearted wave and walked out through the front of the Domain. 

They were half way across the river before Zelda reminded him Princess Ruto of the Zora was to be awakened as the Water Sage. He let himself laugh out loud.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mm teenagers are so nasty to each other, why would ones chosen by the gods be any different? Also, I love Ruto- she's such a pain.
> 
> Stay tuned for the teenage angst when two dumb 16 year-olds go see the well of three features :eyes emoji:


	6. Dark! Narrow! Scary! The Well of Three Features

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Age 16: Two years remaining.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah there's blood and smelly smells so be warned.   
> Also, I might not of proof read it as well as I could have so be warned of that, too.

Impa dipped her quill into the ink well, eyes casted down as Sheik walked into the shack. He stood there at attention in front of her table as she finished copying her notes. She let out a small sigh and placed her stylus down, glancing up at him as the ink dried.

“You called me, my Lady?” He asked quietly.

The elder nodded, going back to her parchment. “Indeed I have. I have a new assignment for you today that needs your upmost care.”

_“Oh, wonderful,”_ Zelda muttered, _“Another perishable potion run.”_

Sheik ignored the voice in his head and nodded for Impa to continue.

“As of last night, the well’s water has drained. We don’t know what caused it as of yet. The musician who lives in the windmill was no help,” she explained as she rubbed her temples, “I need you to go and investigate.”

There was a heavy silence as Sheik waited for more. There had to be more. Lady Impa did _not_ want him to go down to the crypts to slink around to see what demonic spirit drained the well. There _had_ to be more to this. He opened his mouth slightly, about to voice his concerns, when Impa put her hand up to stop him.

“I have no doubt that you can handle this,” she assured before he could speak, “as the only other person who can see through the illusions down there, I need you to do this. If anything happens, you know how to get out safely.” 

He felt a surge of excitement and pride fill him, Zelda practically giddy with the prospect of an adventure. They were finally going to _do_ something! Something _new!_

“Of course, Lady Impa,” he said, “But are you positive this is the wisest of decisions? I mean, I am housing a rather important person…”

Zelda’s presence froze. _“Wh… What!?”_

Impa simply smiled. “I have faith that you will overcome anything down there, Sheik. It might even be a good exercise for the Princess. Mentally, of course. Besides,”-she took up her pen and slowly traced out the image she was copying- “Nothing can truly hurt you down there.”

“Maybe not _physically_ ,” he blurted out before he could stop himself. The elder’s smile did not falter, though, as she looked up at him. 

“That is true, yes. But you are stronger than anything down there, my child. You are a Sheikah. You won’t be easily swayed by the old illusions down there.” 

She resumed to her notes as he stood there in silence. Confusion bubbled around his mind, Zelda turning in circles as she tried to figure out why he was so hesitant. He took a small breath and put up more mental walls, blocking her off from any of his own thoughts. He felt her scowl without a face.

“If it makes you feel better,” Impa said, breaking the silence, “If you do not return in four hours time, I will find you. However, I’m sure it won’t take you that long.” She didn’t look up this time. “I expect a detailed report when you return.”

…

_“Well, well, well. What do we have here?”_

Sheik bit back a groan as he scaled the ladder down into the well of three features. Zelda’s pride in her horrible joke tickled him, though.

“You’ve been waiting to say that since Lady Impa mentioned this, huh?” He asked, his voice echoing in the tunnel.

_“Oh, no,”_ she replied immediately, _“I’ve been waiting since I’ve first seen the town.”_

“You are truly impossible.” He laughed and jumped down the last three rungs, his shoes splashing in a puddle of water. She hummed happily.

Sheik made his way through the tunnel, passing through the false wall without hesitation. Zelda’s merriment was replaced by cold, hard fear the second red eyes took in the imprisonment chambers. Cages that held muddled remains were rusted next to pathways of grey water. Chests that held maps and keys were left open and empty, any sign of who took the contents lost to time. The chains that latched around the X-shaped crucifix were clicking together in a nonexistent breeze, causing a soft, nearly melodic clank of metal on metal.

_“What… what in the world?”_

The Sheikah didn’t even bother answering her, instead ducking around a corner and pulling out his dagger. The princess hid herself deeper into his consciousness, not daring to break his concentration. Not a second later, a skullutual dropped from the ceiling, fangs dripping with venom. A smack with his deku nut and a stab to its underbelly, Sheik quickly disposed of the monster.

“You were the one who wanted to see what was down here,” he said, glancing around for any more spiders, “Now you know.”

“ _But… What even_ ** _is_** _this?”_

“Interrogations were held here.” He swiped at a spiderweb, climbing through the hole. “Usually spies or traitors. They’d be captured and taken here.”

_“Why would they need all this for simple questioning?”_

Sheik scoffed. “Zelda,” he said evenly, “It was for the ones that didn’t answer our questions.”

A shiver ran up his spine as the princess came to the grim realization. 

_“…Torture?”_

He hummed and nodded. He stopped just before a door, Hylian ears twitching. The sound of keese fluttering had him loosen his grip on his dagger. Without much hesitation, he open the door and made his way in. 

It was a small room with stone coffins lined into two rows. The keese stared down from their perches, demon eyes burning with hatred. A small chest sat at the far end of the tomb, wide open and covered in dirt. Sheik made his way over, carful to not disturb the sarcophagi as he passed. Leaning down, he brushed a thin layer of dirt away. Small, almost invisible, flecks of glittering fairy dust mixed with the grime. A grin broke out on his face.

“It’s not an evil spirit that drained the well,” he sighed, “It was the Hero.”

_“How, though? It was drained last night and he’s still in the Sacred Realm.”_

“Because he went back in time. He must of used the ocarina somehow to drain it.”

Zelda was silent as she worked through this puzzle. The Triforce pulsed slightly on Sheik’s hand as she thought. Her mind was swirling with theories, time-travel, and how utterly tangled the lines of future events will be come. Have become? 

“Please do that later,” Sheik begged as his own mind was clouded with her brainstorming, “I have to focus.”

_“Sorry,”_ she said sheepishly, _“I got carried away.”_

He sighed, not bothering to respond. He slinked out of the tomb, ready as ever to get the hell out of the well. With the mystery solved, he still had to write up a report for Impa, a task he most definitely make Zelda do. He stepped over the small stream of grey water and froze.

_“What is it?”_ Zelda asked, not feeling whatever the Sheikah obviously had.

A whistling echoed through the crypt, a shrill scream following after it. 

_“What was that?!”_

Sheik’s body refused to move. Whatever was shrieking was getting closer.

_“Sheik! Run!”_

He couldn’t, his muscles locked in place no matter how hard he pushed. He couldn’t even move his eyes to see what monster was sloshing its way through the water. It sounded like a wounded animal, slamming its legs haphazardly and splashing as it dragged its feet.

_“Sheik!!”_

He had just enough time to register the sight of the redead before it latched onto him. Spindling fingers tightened around his throat as bone limbs encaged him, the wooden mask slamming against the side of his head as the creature dug its rotten teeth into his shoulder. He dropped his dagger as his arms shook, blood oozing down his arm.

**_“NO!”_ **

A blinding light shone from the back of Sheik’s hand, causing the redead to freeze and stumble off his back. It groaned and curled into a fetal position, collapsing on its side. It was still and silent when the light retreated back into his hand. The Sheikah let out a pained hiss, holding his shoulder. He kicked the side of the monster, confirming its death.

“That’s new,” he mumbled. He picked up his dagger and sheathed it. “But nevertheless, thank you for saving me.”

The princess was silent, awe creeping its way around her soul. Sheik decided to leave it at that, knowing that she would no doubt have a long conversation about it with Impa tonight. Sleep was no longer an option for the poor boy.

He turned a corner, red eyes still scanning the area for illusions. He paused for a second, looking up at the face painted on the wall. It was… whispering? He leaned closer, trying to hear its words.

_… S h .. e i k .. a h ….._

He narrowed his eyes, ears twitching at the barely audible voice.

_… R o y… a l… B .. l o o d…_

He slowed his breathing, trying to get a better focus with out the noise of air.

_… L e t… u s… h e l p… H e r…_

“What?”

A loud boom shook the entire crypt, knocking stones and soot down onto him. The chains clacked and rattled like terrible warnings bells. He covered his ears and fell to his knees. Zelda was screaming his name somewhere. His vision was turning white as his heart threatened to ripped through his ribcage. Hands grabbed at his cowl, tearing the fabric with loud rips. Claws racked through his hair, gripping at the braids. He tried to find his dagger but his hands were shackled together with wiry cuffs, sharp edges digging into his flesh. He struggled against whatever forces were pushing him down, but it was futile. Blinding white light stole his vision just before his world went black.

——

The first thing Zelda noticed was the far off sound of dripping water. She groaned, blinking her eyes blearily as her skull pounded. Sitting up, she covered her face with her hands, blocking out the torch light that fueled her headache. She shivered, realizing her dress was soaked in freezing water. 

“… Sheik?” She moaned. Her voice echoed around her and her heart stopped. “Sh-sheik!?”

She stood up, her legs shaking like a new born fawn. Her body was pale and foreign, holding no resemblance of the Sheikah boy’s. It was _her_ body. 

Panic quickly flooded her senses as she whipped around, trying to make out her surroundings. Grey stone walls were illuminated by one lone torch, its flame flickering and casting long shadows like spindling fingers. The wisps of light danced sluggishly across the muddied dirt floor, bones of unknown origin half buried like yellowing tombstones. In the middle of the room was a lone chair, gilded and varnished with red velvet and pure gold. 

A throne.

“Hello, little princess,” a voice cooed. It was slick like grease, a sound from the mouth of a snake.

She spun, trembling as she faced the speaker. A faint shimmer of a figure stood before her, not quite opaque enough to be of this world. It was long and thing, not unlike the redeads that guarded her ancestors’ graves. Even with out seeing the red of its eyes, she knew it was a Sheikah. 

“Wh-what do you want?” She asked, terror filling her eyes with tears. 

It smiled, its form shimmering slightly as it held out its hand. “It’s not what I want, my Princess. My duty is to protect the Royal Family. You are save from harm.”

“That’s not what I asked,” she said, steeling her nerves and clutching her shaking hands.

“I want… to fulfill my duty. My purpose is only to serve.”

She gritted her teeth. What would Sheik do? She dug through her mind, trying remember all his training that she slept through. His instincts were part of her. She knew him better than she knew herself. What would he do?

She took a deep breath. 

_Analyze._

She could almost hear his voice, as if to answer her pleads to Hylia.

_You can’t rush into a fight unless you know what you are doing. What are you up against?_

Zelda straightened, eyes shifting across the specter. It was watching her apathetically, will-o’-wisps lazily drifted from its legs. It wasn’t a _threat,_ so to speak. It didn’t seem violent… And if it was speaking the truth, it was just following orders, protecting the royals of Hyrule. Protecting _her._

“I have a guardian already, thank you,” she said carefully. The spirit did not respond, watching her silently. “He is quite capable of protecting me.” She looked around, not seeing a door anywhere. “If it makes you feel better, he is also a Sheikah.”

“No,” it said, causing Zelda to snap her eyes back to it, “He is not capable. He would of fell to a simple undead watcher if you were not there to save him.” It smiled again, form shimmering like a ripple through water. “You are safer here, my Princess.”

She blinked. _Well, this is getting us nowhere,_ she mused angrily. Suddenly, an idea sparked in her mind.

“I order you to bring me back to my shadow.” Her voice was clear, years of court confidence teachings coming through her unshaken command.

The spirit flickered again. There was nothing, save the far of sound of dripping. It was thinking. Minutes passed, maybe hours, before it spoke again.

“That is unwise, my Princess.”

She gritted her teeth, raking her mind for a new plan. _What would Sheik do? What would Sheik…_

“That is bold of you to say, servant.” She stood her ground, hoping to any and all goddesses this would work. “For I am the very form of wisdom. In fact, the goddesses themselves chose me for that very fact.” She held up her right hand. Sheik would no doubt be proud of her sneaky bluff.

The specter looked at her, calculating.

“Very well, Princess Zelda.” It bowed lowly. “If he can find you, we shall let you leave together.”

———

There was the rancid stench of rotting flesh as Sheik came to. He held back a gag as the smell surrounded him, sticking to him like humidity in the swamps. The sound of chains and the swift pain that cut through his wrists made him wince. He glanced up, glaring at the shackles that held him to the wall.

_Ah, perfect_ , he growled mentally. 

“Alright, Zel,” he said aloud, “Don’t panic. I know how to get out of these. It’s just an illusion, remember?”

Silence answered him.

“Impa trusts us. There’s nothing down here that she doesn’t think we can’t handle.”

There was no witty comeback. No joke told that covered the princess’s fear. He couldn’t feel her panic. He couldn’t feel her confusion.

He couldn’t feel her.

His breath caught and he franticly pulled at the chains. He knew the shackles, their razored edges that kept prisoners from slipping out of them. His arms were getting slick with blood as it trailed down from his trappings. He cursed his luck, trying to feel for the link that connected the chain to the wall.

If he could just… Get that one chainlink… to weaken… There! 

The shackles fell with a clatter, freeing Sheik from the wall. He sighed with relief as he shook out his arms, jingling his chains as he did. He expected the shackles’ illusion to fade with the imaginary links, but they stayed, stubbornly hooking in place. 

That was a worry for later, he decided. The first worry was finding the princess. He studied the room he was trapped in. Dirt floor and walls, two lone torches with fading light in each corner, holes dug from the ground like gopher holes, and one large door. He nodded to himself and made his way to it. He just barely touched the handle when the ground shook.

He scowled, hand going to his empty blade holster. _Ah, fucking great_. He cursed silently as he backed slowly to the door.

The first pale arm of the Deadhand shot up from the farthest hole, blood stained nails digging into the dirt. Sheiks eyes narrowed as his mind set into battle mode. The second hand quickly followed, accompanied by the third and fourth. Finally, the beast it self bursted from the ground, teeth gnashing and grinning.

It shuffled its way to the Sheikah, bobbing its head back and forth and wriggling its arm stumps. Sheik was prepared though. He knew this monster, knew it was mostly the horrible sight of it that proved its victims’ fall. Terror was the enemy of rational thinking, after all. It was weak and relied on panicking prey.

The fifth hand, however, caught him off guard. It whipped out of its hole with lighting speed, gripping Sheik’s face and slashing its claws into his cheeks. He let out a shout as he gripped its boney wrist, trying to rip it off. He only made it worse as the nails hooked onto his soft flesh like barbs. The Deadhand was slowly getting closer, its yellow teeth bared in a smug grin. Sheik tried snapping the hand’s wrist, only to find that it was too flexible to be harmed with awkward twists.

His eyes widened as the monster dropped its jaw, going in for the kill at a painfully slow pace.

_No,_ he snapped to himself, _You’re a Sheikah warrior, for Din’s sake. Remember what Impa said: Nothing here can hurt you._

He tried to relax at the thought, but the sharp pain in his face and wrists flared. He gritted his teeth.

_Besides these fucking nails and braces._

Sudden clarity washed over him. 

_Of course!_

He twisted his hands back and slashed his arms down, racking the cuff’s razors down onto the hand. With a shrill scream, the hand retreated back to hell. He didn’t hesitate then. He launched himself at the Deadhand, slashing and ripping at it with the very blades meant to hold him back. Rancid blood gushed from its blotchy skin, shrieks growing as it fought against the furious Sheikah. It didn’t take long for the creature to fall, collapsing onto itself in a crumbled heap of rotten flesh.

Sheik stood, panting but otherwise no worse for ware. He made no hesitation to leave, nearly tearing the door off the hinges as he bolted to find his best friend.

——

“ _If_ he can find me?!”

Zelda was fuming. She was _so_ close to leaving this awful place. So close, but, alas, so far.

“The boy is being tested,” the spirit said calmly, “If he can pass, then he shall prove his worth.”

She almost growled, anger bubbling up like a volcano. First, that awful Ruto, and now a freaking _ghost?!_

“Prove his worth? Prove his _worth?!_ How dare you!” Her fear was gone, replaced by the powerful need to protect and defend. “Sheik is the most worthy person on Farore’s green earth and he has proven that a hundred times over. He has trained nonstop since birth to protect me! Years of basically _torture_ just to be able to hide me- without even knowing if it needed to be done! He gave up his whole life for me and my family. My _kingdom_. I don’t know anyone who is more capable of being my guardian, my shield, my very _shadow_ , than Sheik is!”

The spirit’s form was flickering again- no- fading. The princess continued, her hand glowing ever so steadily.

“There has never been anyone I trusted my life with more than him. Not Impa, not my father, not even Link! Sheik would _die_ before he let anything happen to me! He’s strong and clever andselfless and brave and- and-…” 

She trailed off, the spirit a mere smudge of light now. Her rage slowly simmered out, her shoulders dropping as she breathed heavily. The Triforce dimmed back to dormancy. Behind her came a familiar snort and chuckle. She turned, eyes wide as Sheik himself leaned against the stone.

“You forgot handsome,” he quipped, blood caked on his face and clothes, “and charming.”

She nearly fell with how fast she ran to him, clutching him in a hug. “And a _jerk!_ ”

He gave a half hearted laugh, hugging her back. “Sorry, Zel. I got hung up.”

She scoffed, pulling back to look at his clawed up face. “What happened?”

“I’ll explain when we get out of this hell hole,” he said, taking her hand. “Right now, we have to fuse again.”

She nodded frantically, clutching his hands with hers and pressing their foreheads together. It was easier than the first time, surprisingly. A seamless transition from two bodies to one, no foggy dreamscape, not blinding light. Just… together.

His wrists were no longer bloodied and the chains dissipated. He rubbed them as he walked through the false wall of Zelda’s confinement chamber. She didn’t even have the energy to comment, the Sheikah’s eyes seeing through the illusion with eyes trained to see the truth.

——

Impa blew softly on the ink of her parchment, trying to dry the fresh writing faster. She glanced up just as the door opened, smiling slightly as Sheik walked in.

“That was fast,” she said, rolling up the scroll she finished.

“Was it?” The teen cocked his head to the side. “I thought you said you’d come find us if we weren’t back in an hour?”

“I did say that.” Impa pursed her lips, returning his confusion with her own. “And I would of, if you didn’t just take 10 minutes to complete the mission.”

Zelda groaned. _“I hate Sheikah magic…”_

The elder stood, tucking her scroll into a canister. “Since you finished so quickly, you would care to take this to Chief Darunia? You can write up your report when you get back.”

Sheik gingerly took the parcel, exhaustion shoved back into his mind. “Yes, ma’am.” 

“But before you go,” she said before he could leave, “What was it?”

He blinked, taking a second to realized she meant the well’s mysterious drainage. “Oh. Time-travel stuff. The hero must of went down to find the Lens of Truth.”

The Sage nodded as if that was an obvious answer. “I had a feeling that was the case.” She flipped through her papers, searching for the next transcript to translate. “Be sure to be back by sundown. I need you up early tomorrow to find the Forest Temple’s song.”

“… In the Lost Woods? The forbidden forest that makes people go mad?”

Impa hummed. “You’ll be fine.”

Sheik rubbed his shoulder absentmindedly, a phantom ache on his untouched skin. “I guess you’re right.”

Zelda sighed in exasperation. _“She always is.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, yes. Next stop: The Gerudo Desert!


	7. Pride of the Sheikah

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Age 17: One year remaining

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> May not be proof read as well as it should be so pardon any mistakes :0

_“This is a bad idea,”_ Zelda muttered.

Sheik looked down from his perch over the Gerudo’s fortress, a dry wind kicking sand about and concealing him from the guards below. He grunted softly in agreement, not daring to respond with spoken word. Nevertheless, he scaled the wall, making his way towards the desert gates. 

The whole issue of this mission started the night before. Impa had unearthed a song that supposably had the warp magic for the Desert Colossus, one of the essential melodies Sheik had to teach the hero when he awoke. It was a half burnt piece of papyrus with ink that was mostly sun-bleached away, the notes just barely visible. Zelda had a feeling it wasn’t the most promising artifact. So, to test it, Sheik played it on his lyre. Just as the princess suspected, it did not work. He looked up at Impa, blinking and asking what they were to do now. The Sage came to a conclusion, one that took both the teens by utter surprise. 

“You have to go to the Spirit Temple and find the platform,” she had told them, “The warp song will be etched on the side. Make sure to memorize it and come right back here after.”

Now, in the hot sun of the wasteland, Sheik’s sweat trickled down his face from both heat and excursion. It wasn’t that he didn’t _trust_ his mentor, he just thought her faith in him was a little… over optimistic sometimes. He reminded Zelda a dozen times over that even though he was the desert king’s lands, Ganondorf was safely away from them in the castle. She couldn’t respond with “ _I know_ ” enough times to get him to calm himself, however. He leaped down onto a rooftop, crouching as he scurried across to the gates. 

A horn blared loudly below them and the Sheikah quickly sank into the shadows. His red eyes darted across the fort, gripping the ragged cliff face behind him. A crowd of Gerudo women rushed to the front of the fortress, dropping to one knee as they lined the dirt path. Despite the blazing sun, Sheik’s blood ran cold.

A large, black stallion was paraded through the canyon, flanked by two white horses with golden saddles. The two warriors that rode them held spears so large that five men could easily be impaled on them like a shish-kabob. On the black steed, rode the very star of the shadow’s and princess’s nightmares, the hell demon that destroyed their lives and home, the king of darkness himself: Ganondorf.

_“Oh, bollocks,_ ” Zelda’s voice grumbled.

“Just try to hide as deep down as you can,” Sheik whispered, his words barely a breath. He felt Zelda agree, probably nodding if she could, and her presences receded to a dull warmth in the back of his soul. She’ll still be secret. She’ll still be safe. He swore to it.

“My dear Sisters,” Ganondorf bellowed below them, “I come bearing _great_ news!”

Sheik furrowed his brow, leaning over ever so slightly that his Hylian ears could pick up every word. 

“ _Why is he not speaking in Gerudo?”_

He shushed her, trying to focus.

“We have discovered a secret those blasted Hylians have hid from us. Their weapon to be used when their little _hero_ awakens!”

There was a murmur of surprise that drifted from the crowd of warriors. Sheik gripped the adobe brick under him.

“They think they can summon the Seven Sages of old to stop us. I have reason to believe they will join with that _boy_ and try to eliminate us. We have already taken hold of three of these so-called Sages, and know the whereabouts of two others. I expect you all to keep your wits about you and pick up _any_ information about the last two.”

Sheik gritted his teeth, mind racing to figure out how the hell the demon lord found out. And which sages has he captured? Was he lying? No, what use was it to lie to his own people about that? A boost in moral?

“I will be staying here for the night, my Sisters,” Ganondorf continued, “If there is any need for me, I shall be in my chambers.”

He dismounted his horse and handed the reigns off. The others were instantly off to return to their posts, the two guards that accompanied him following him into the building. Sheik twitched his ears, getting the last bit of the man’s words to one of his warriors.

“I will need a scribe in the northwest kitchens at sundown. I wish to have a written out list of my findings.”

The warrior bowed low and Sheik glanced at the sun. It was still late afternoon and twilight wouldn’t be upon them for another few hours.

_“Sheik…_ ” Zelda warned.

“Relax,” he muttered, “We’ll be able to slip out to the Temple faster, now that all of them are preoccupied.”

_“This is extremely risky and you know it. We should just warp back home and tell Impa.”_

“We’re already here. It will just be a short run to the colossus and then home. Trust me.”

The princess’s doubt was pushed away from him as he put up more mental walls. He sprinted silently and vaulted over the rocky outpost, unnoticed by any Gerudo woman.

… 

Sheik dusted the sand off the marble warp slab. Squinting, held his lyre and plucked out the notes slowly. He felt it immediately, the magic of the melody practically vibrating off the harp strings. He tried it a few more times, humming it out as he played. He nodded once he memorized the song and told Zelda the notes. Between the two of them, the song was ingrained into their minds.

_“Wonderful! I can’t wait to get out of here. Let’s go!”_

Sheik tensed his fingers, about to play the first chord of the Nocturne of Shadow, but hesitated.

“ _What’s wrong? Let’s go,”_ Zelda urged. She then knew _exactly_ what the teen was thinking, feeling the thought race through his mind as if it were her own. _“Oh, no. No, Sheik, that is WAY too dangerous!”_

“Oh, come on, Zel,” he said, lowering his harp, “This information could help us win the war. We _need_ to know what he knows and what Sages he has.”

_“But-“_

“I’m a Sheikah warrior, Zel. I’m more than capable of being a spy and getting us back safely.”

_“Yes, but-“_

“You’re the one that told my literal _ancestor_ that I was a better fit to protect you than they were. Remember?”

_“But, Sheik, he’s-“_

“Just trust me, Princess.”

She was silent, frustration bubbling in his throat as she refused to cave. He latched his lyre back onto his belt, already having his mind set. Between all their shared traits, stubbornness was their deadliest one.

…

“You called for me, Sire?”

A young Gerudo approached Ganondorf, bowing lowly and clutching her stationary bag. 

“Yes, yes,” he cooed, waving her over, “Come sit. I just had the cooks warm up some bread.”

The woman obeyed, eyeing the bread with a hungry leer. 

“Eat,” the demon king commanded. She did not hold back.

Sheik squatted at the open window, watching the two like a trained hawk.

“I need you to listen very carefully,” Ganondorf said, gazing at his fingernails in disinterest, “And answer my questions to the best of your ability.”

Both the Gerudo and Sheikah tensed, all ears.

“You know of the Royal Family, yes?”

The woman nodded. “Yes, Sire.”

“What do you know about their protectors?”

“The royal knights?”

“No,” Ganon replied curtly. 

Sheik gritted his teeth. 

“I’m afraid I don’t know what you are referring to, my Lord,” the woman admitted.

“There is a group, my sister, of shadows that are sworn by blood to die for the Royal Family.”

“Shadows?”

“Yes, people that are bred like prized dogs to be the perfect assassins and stooges for the Hylians. They are called the Sheikah.”

Sheik stilled, trying to puzzle out what he was getting at with his speech.

“And do you know what they are most known for, dear sister? What they are trained to do in the dead of night, a silent shadow against the face of the enemy?”

“No, Sire,” she said, leaning in with golden eyes, drinking in his tale, “What is it?”

Sheik felt his neck close as if a fist clenched around it.

“Spy.”

The teen was pulled through the window like a rag doll by his throat, thrown against the brick wall and collapsing with heavy pots and pans clattering on top of him. The woman was immediately on her feet, saber drawn and ready to kill. Ganondorf flicked his wrist and her eyes went blank.

“You may leave,” he stated bluntly. 

The woman straightened and marched out of the room, a puppet leaving the stage. Sheik coughed as his breath caught up with him, gasping as he tried to stand. A heavy smack across the face had him slamming against the wall again.

“Funny,” Ganondorf said, gazing down at the boy like he was a bug on his boot, “I don’t recall ever seeing a Sheikah quite like you. So _sloppy,_ boy.” 

He bent down and gripped Sheik’s cowl, handfuls of hair being pulled along with it as the King of Darkness yanked his head back.

“Remarkable, really,” the Gerudo mused aloud, a sneer twisting his face, “First, I see you sneaking around my fortress.” He slammed Sheik’s head against a thick pot, his skull rattling along with the metallic drum. “Second, I see you running into the haunted wastelands towards my tribe’s Temple.” He leaned down, pressing his knee into his back and crushing his spine. “And now? You took my painfully obvious bait and appear in my window. It’s really quite laughable to think _this_ is what your pitiful tribe as come to.”

Sheik turned his head, blood clogging up his nose and his right eye swelling shut. “Fuck you,” he spat.

There was a horrible silence as the demon king stared at the teen. His eyes were smoldering gold and his mouth was drawn in a wolfish grin.

“You have guts, kid,” the king said, his voice a low grumble like thunder.

He stood up to his full height, Sheik gasping for breath again as his knee was lifted off his back. 

“It’s a shame. I used to spare children from death. I was soft and thought that youth was the same as innocence.” The demon lord summoned a crackling ball of energy, sparks falling from his hands. “But in all honesty, I really don’t think I’ll ever make the same mistake again.”

Electricity buzzed loudly, roaring as the evil sorcerer pulled the magic from the ether. The blinding yellow light of his plasma ball was all the cover the Sheikah needed. Sheik’s fingers curled around his lyre, his back screaming in protest as he twisted his arm back to grab it. He only needed to find four strings. Just four little notes. With seven plucks, the nocturne sang out. Ganondorf shot the lighting strike down, its power resignation with an echoing _boom._ When the blinding light finally gave way to black and the Gerudo King’s eyes adjusted back to the darkness, the Sheikah was gone.

…

Impa was leaning against Dampé’s shack when the purple blaze lit the graveyard’s warp slab. Her face showed no emotion as Sheik climbed over the fence, blood dribbling from his nose and staining through his mask. He hid his limb well and anyone who saw him wouldn’t think he was in an ounce of pain despite the dark red coming from his face. 

The Sage of Shadow, however, was not just anyone.

“I learned the song,” Sheik said, trying his best to sound as if nothing was off, “It’s a requiem, I think.”

She didn’t move, didn’t blink, and her red eyes followed him as he walked passed. He expected her to stop him as he made his way through the cemetery’s gates, to chastise him in her low and dangerous growl and make him feel like a worm. 

But she didn’t. She just watched him. And for some reason, that felt even worse.

…

He wrapped and dressed his wounds that night in silence. The princess had not spoken to him since the wasteland, her lack of presence numbing his chest. She wasn’t mad, per se, just… conflicted. He couldn’t place her exact feelings and strangely enough, neither could she. 

The whole ordeal seemed too impossible to even have occurred. The man with the evil eyes was inches from Sheik’s face, massive hands holding him down and set to kill him. He was so close to death, so close to his own annihilation. 

The whole operation would fail if he was to fall. Years of training, of preparation and research— of _fighting —_ would have been for nothing as he fried under the beast’s hand. The hero would be without a guide, the princess without a shield, and worst of all, the kingdom would be doomed if Ganon took the Triforce that was in the young Sheikah. The war would have ended right then and there with evil as its crowned victor.

He was laying in bed as he stared up at the ceiling. The night was cold after the harsh burn of the deserts. The soft, silver moon beams that drifted down his window were making small shapes on the floor and casting playful shadows against the walls. Miss Moo-Moo was asleep in her strange cage, snoring in gentle grunts every so often. He wanted so desperately to sleep, but the burning eyes of the Gerudo appeared every time he closed his own.

Finally, after hours of silence and nothingness, the princess’s voice returned.

_“I’m sorry._ ”

“Why are you sorry?” He whispered into the night, furrowing his brow.

_“I knew it was a trap. I should of just said it out right. I knew it the second he spoke our tongue to his people.”_

Sheik was silent, his eyes tracing the outline of a wallboard. He knew she shouldn’t be the one apologizing. She tried to tell him and he ignored her, shot her down when she tried to push. It was his own pride and cockiness that almost cost them their lives, not her lack of trying to stop him. His brashness could of led to Hyrule’s demise and he was too thick-headed to listen to the second smartest person he knew.

He felt Zelda’s energy shift and realized too late he didn’t block her from his thoughts. 

_“There is no use wasting your energy and time thinking about this, my dear Shadow.”_

“I’m sorry.”

_“For almost killing us or keeping me awake with your pity party?”_

He sighed, closing his eyes. “Both.”

_“Lucky for you, I’m a forgiving person,”_ she hummed, her emotions a little too airy for his taste.

“What aren’t you telling me?” He opened his eyes, knowing all too well she had something she was hiding from him.

She smiled, his cheeks feeling its pull. _“I figured it out.”_

“Zel,” he murmured. He hated guessing. She knew that. 

_“Ganondorf was baiting us- er, you -when he was telling his people about the Sages, right?”_

“… right,” he drawled, “Get to the point.”

_“He was telling the truth, though.”_

He stared at a particular knot in the wooden beam above his bed. “How so?”

_“He obviously knows about the Seven Sages and our plan- that’s easy enough to know as a solid truth. The Sages he has, well, that’s a bit more difficult.”_ She was getting excited, her sense of accomplishment bubbling around his rib cage and fluttering behind his ears. _“He at least has, or knows of, the Sage of Spirits. She’s a Gerudo, after all. He spoke about ‘having’ two others and we can clearly cross Impa, Rauru and myself off that list. That leaves only the forest, fire, and water sages. We saw Ruto just two days ago when you brought those letters to her father, so it’s extremely unlikely he has her.”_

“But, Zelda,” he interrupted, “How can you count Ruto off so easily? She could of been taken after we left.”

_“No, she couldn’t of. Ganondorf arrived on his stallion with two other white horses, both clearly taken from the castle’s stables. On horseback, it takes two days to get from Hyrule Castle to the Zora’s Domain and another two days if he were to travel from the domain to the desert. However, that’s assuming he goes through the royal entrance of the domain and leaves the same way. But we obviously know that-“_

“Okay, okay,” he whispered lowly, rubbing his forehead, “I get it. Not Ruto. But the other two?”

_“We have to ask Impa in the morning to confirm further. If my suspicions are correct, he hasn’t ‘captured’ Darunia, but he might have threatened the Gorons and is now considering them as a neutralized party.”_

“… What about the Kokiri?”

She was silent again, the cogs in her mind churning as Sheik’s eyelid grew heavier. 

_“That’s a little bit more difficult, given the Lost Woods are so densely protected with magic. However, we know the forest deity was poisoned by Ganon so we can assume he has some way of conversing his way in, whether it be with magic or a pawn. I have a feeling he can’t bring her_ out _of the forest, but he’s keeping her_ in _the forest. Perhaps trapped somewhere, like a cage or dungeon.”_

Sheik let out a long yawn, his body finally answering his call for sleep. 

“Okay,” he mumbled, “We can figure this out further in the morning… With Lady Impa…”

_“Indeed,”_ she mused. 

Then, after a few minutes of Sheik believing he was going to get some rest, she asked, _“How am I the second smartest person you know? Is Impa the first?”_

He let out a small groan, pulling his blanket over him. “No, Zel. The smartest person I know is Grog.”

_“The creepy punk guy that lives downstairs? The cucco lady’s brother?”_

“Mm-hmm.”

_“… Elaborate.”_

“Nope.” He curled onto his side and buried his face into his pillow. “You can figure all the other puzzles and shit in our life, try to figure out Grog. If you can do that, you’ll be the _first_ smartest person I know.”

_“Oh, you’re on.”_

Sleep wasn’t an option that night, Sheik knew that fact before he left the graveyard. He just needed to give her something else to chew on. 

Even if it was just a bold-face lie. 

He needed to get his entertainment from somewhere, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: The Hero returns!!
> 
> I'm having a lot of fun with this and am planning to go until the end. So, that means our boy Link is gunna show up (and all my headcanons for him ((and Navi)) woo-hoo!)


	8. Restless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Age 18: The Hero finally awakens. 
> 
> Forest Temple: 5 Sages remain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternate title/summary: Sheik needs a NAP.

Sheik ran the soft-bristled brush across Miss Moo-Moo’s hide, humming softly as the cow ate her breakfast. It was a rest day for the Sheikah, the first one in years, and he wanted to spend it with as little stress as possible. Zelda respected his wishes, lingering only in the back of his mind as he went through his day with mundane activities and chores. His hair was tied in a loose bun and his usual skin-tight uniform was replaced with a loose fitting tunic and light trousers. He scratched his cow’s muzzle affectionately as he finished brushing her.

“Such a good girl,” he cooed as her ears flicked back and forth. He nuzzled her head with his own and gave a short laugh. She huffed and mooed, butting him back gently. 

There was a knock on the door, soft and rhythmic. Sheik sighed in annoyance, leaving the cow’s cage to gather his mask and cowl. 

“Young Sheikah?” A woman’s voice came from behind the door as she started knocking again. “Are you in there?”

Wrapping his face and hair up, Sheik checked himself in the mirror. He didn’t have time to slip on his full outfit, but he was presentable enough. He opened the door just before the woman started to knock again. He bit back a groan as he saw who it was, Zelda quickly coming forth with intense curiosity.

“Hello, Miss Anju,” he said politely, “What can I do for you?” 

The cucco lady looked absolutely distraught. She was wringing her hands together so tightly they were turning red. Her eyes were bloodshot, either from crying or spending too much time with the birds.

“Please, Young Sheikah,” she pleaded, her bottom lip quivering, “There’s a gigantic owl by the gates. I just know it’s looking to get one of my poor cuccos.”

Sheik cocked his head to the side. “An owl? It’s the middle of the day.”

“Please, just come see for yourself,” she said, grabbing his hands, “It’s a monster!”

Before Sheik could pull away from her, she dragged him from the shack. He gasped softly, looking back as she yanked him away. His uniform was hanging in his bedroom, still drying from from his earlier laundry. In the cool spring air, he never felt more naked.

“M-Miss Anju,” he stuttered, “I believe you. But, I can’t just-” He pulled away from her to turn back, but froze when he saw the owl.

_“Of course,”_ Zelda grumbled in his mind. 

Sitting on the largest tree in town, perched and staring in all his feathered glory, was Kaepora Gaebora. He watched the youth and cucco lady with a sharp glare. His piercing yellow eyes like unfeeling flames. Sheik sighed.

“Don’t worry, Miss Anju,” he mumbled, “I’ll take care of it. Just stay inside.”

“Oh, thank you, young Sheikah!” She hugged him, causing him to wince and quickly push her away. She didn’t seem to notice his discomfort, only thanking him again as she raced back to her home.

Kaepora Gaebora continued to watch him, unblinking and unmoving.

“Okay,” Sheik said, “What is it?”

Finally, the owl twisted his head, bobbing to and fo ever so slightly. “Hoot hoot! That is quite the outfit there, young Sheikah.”

Sheik sighed. “I have a name, you know.”

“As do I, yet it is unimportant as of now.” The bird twisted his head back and blinked. “The time has come. Hoot!” He spread his wings out, their full span casting a large shadow over the Sheikah. 

Sheik’s eyes widened as Zelda gasped. Her spirit flared within him, excitement and anxiety fluttering together with a dash of elated relief. 

“He’s awake?” He whispered, disbelief lowing his tone.

Kaepora Gaebora nodded once. “Prepare to meet him in the temple, young shadow.” He pushed his wings down, sending a gust of wind that sent dust clouds whirling around them. “And be dressed, hoot hoot!”

He took off, leaving Sheik practically jumping with Zelda’s joy. The Sheikah sighed, returning to the house to get ready. His rest day was nice while it lasted, he guessed…

——

Sheik leaned against the stained-glass of the Temple of Time, absentmindedly tracing his fingers along the window and watching the endless rain drum against it. He still flinched at every clap of thunder, but lightning-storms weren’t his worst fear anymore. Every once in a while he’d glance down to the empty Pedestal of Time, waiting for that flicker of light he knew was bound to come.

_“Rauru sure is taking his sweet time,”_ the princess huffed.

Sheik didn’t reply. He ran his little finger down the glass again, following a raindrop’s trail before it pooled together with the others. His skin slowly chilled, goosebumps covering his arms and neck. He glanced down again.

A pale blue light poured out from the pedestal, falling up like an upside-down waterfall. Slowly, it dissipated, revealing a very concerned looking young man. A ball of light wizzed around his head and Link smiled, speaking softly to it. He stepped down from the platform, his legs shaking a bit as he adjusted his belt.

“Yeah,” Sheik heard him say to the ball of light, “I guess we’ll have to find some more. I’ll miss my boomerang.” He laughed and nodded, no doubt in response to something the ball had said.

_“Fairy. That’s Link’s fairy.”_

Sheik frown as he kept quiet. Zelda was right though. The ball- fairy- landed on top of Link’s hat as he made his way towards the door. Like a silent cat, Sheik leapt down to the pedestal. Instantly, Link drew his sword and spun, ready to strike. 

“I’ve been waiting for you, Hero of Time…”

As he spoke, he took a step forwards, expecting Link to back up. He didn’t. Instead, the hero sheathed his sword and watched Sheik with wide eyes. The fairy bounced up from the rim of his hat and floated in lazy circles around them. Sheik tuned out as Zelda took a hold of his mouth, going through a short speech about the quest ahead of the man. He knew what she was saying, obviously, but was more interested in watching the way Link’s blue eyes never looked away from his red ones. It was when Zelda mentioned the forest girl that those blue eyes shut tightly, his teeth gritted and ears pulled down.

“You mean Saria?” 

“Yes,” Sheik’s voice said, “But, you’ll need to go to Kakariko Village first.”

“But…” Link opened his eyes and frowned. “Will… Will she be okay?”

Sheik blinked, Zelda not really knowing what to say. _Okay_ was a general term. She wasn’t going to _die_ but she really wasn’t going to be of this world for much longer. Did that count?

“I mean,” she started, but Sheik took control before she tried to put this lightly. If she made it seem like it wasn’t a big deal, this might not go as well as they’d planned.

“It really depends, Hero,” he said, arching a brow, “You should have enough time to get what you need in the village before she’s actually harmed. If you head straight to the Forest Temple, you won’t be able to get in. Go to the village, get what you need, then go save Saria. You got that?”

Link shifted from foot to foot, debating if he trusted the Sheikah. Finally, his fairy must of whispered something to him. He glanced at her and nodded, his face set in determination. 

“Got it.”

Sheik nodded once. “Good. Now go. I’ll meet you in the forest.”

Link smiled wide and nodded again. He gave a small wave as he raced out of the temple, his fairy bouncing quickly behind him. When he was gone, Sheik sighed.

“…Should we have told him more about the hook shot?” He asked, his voice echoing around him in the empty cathedral.

_“No,”_ Zelda mused, _“I’m sure he’ll figure it out. He may not look it, but he’s a smart boy.”_

——

Zelda was right. Not only did Link figure out the hook shot, get it from Dampé’s grave, and return to the Lost Woods, he also figured out how to _use_ the hook shot. Intently. To say Sheik was impressed would be an understatement. It was a few days, but it was much faster than he anticipated.

“I guess I underestimated him,” he muttered as Link made his way up the steps of the Forest Temple.

Zelda hummed in agreement, silently reminding him of another man that underestimated Link. Sheik scowled. That was a low blow…

They watched as the hero slowed his jog, his sword still dripping blood from the Moblins he took care of in the labyrinth. He took a few hesitant steps before stopping before a tree stump, lost in thought. Sheik gave him a few more moments before he leapt down. Just as before, Link spun on his heel and drew his sword, eyes wild.

“I would rather you not do that every time we meet,” Sheik monotoned. 

Link sighed and sheathed the Master Sword again. “Sorry,” he muttered. He was looking at the stump again, ears dropped ever so slightly. 

Zelda was quick to take the reins again, speaking with the Sheikah’s mouth before he had a chance to protest. “The flow of time is always cruel,” his voice said softly. The hero nodded, only half listening. The princess continued, as she does, without noticing the far off look in Link’s eyes. When she pulled out his lyre, Sheik frowned.

“You’re distracted,” he said flatly, interrupting Zelda’s train of thought.

Link shook his head, looking back at Sheik as if he was caught slacking off. “S-sorry,” he stammered, face turning red in embarrassment. 

The Sheikah sighed quietly. “What is on your mind, Hero.”

Link tilted his head, furrowing his brow.

Sheik rolled his eyes. “You’re thinking about something and it’s clearly _not_ about what I’m saying. If you voice your concerns, perhaps it will help.”

_“You’re sounding more and more like Impa everyday…”_

Sheik ignored her. “I know you’re worried about the forest girl, but you-“

“Saria,” Link interrupted, “Her name is Saria.”

Sheik blinked. “My apologies. Saria. However, worrying is a waste of your energy when the solution is so close to you. If— no— _When_ you defeat whatever is holding her spirit, you _will_ free her. You will save Saria.”

Link was looking down at his boots, face scrunched up in frustration. “But, what if I can’t?” His voice was small, too small for a warrior. 

Despite Zelda’s heart breaking ever so slightly, Sheik scoffed and laughed. The princesses’s shock in him bubbled at his gut. 

_“How can you be so rude?!”_

“Why do you doubt yourself, Link?”

Both hero and princess froze. Link’s blue eyes locked with red again, a twitch of confusion tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“By Din’s fury, Link,” Sheik said, shaking his head, “You’ve slain a massive gohma. You transversed through a literal volcano to save the Gorons and defeated, not just a normal Dodongo, but a _King_ Dodongo. You went inside an ancient deity’s stomach to rescue Princess Ruto. Ruto! Who no doubt made you carry her everywhere! You were literally _eaten,_ Link. Hell, you went up Death Mountain without a second thought to get the ruby. It’s called _Death Mountain_. As in, it’s most prominent feature is _death!_ And you doubt yourself now?”

Link opened his mouth to rebuke but Sheik held up a finger to silence him.

“You are now _twice_ the size as you were back then. You are taller, yes, and stronger. There is no way you can’t go in there, find whatever demon that’s holding Saria, and kick its ass. You are the Hero of Time, Link. You were chosen by the gods. Are you going to argue against them, hero? Against the literal beings that created _everything_?”

Link shook his head frantically, not finding words as the Sheikah glared at him.

“Good,” Sheik said, bringing his lyre back to his chest. “Now get your ocarina out. I’m teaching you a warp song.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sheik didn't leave his cow girlfriend just to hear your angst, Link.  
> Next up: Fire and ~friendship~


	9. Fire to Ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ice Caverns and the Sage of Water

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Skipping the fire temple because it's my least favorite and this is my fic so -shrug-

_Fire._

_That’s all that consumed Sheik’s being. Flames scored his skin, making it bubble and blister as his hair burned with putrid smoke. He did not move— he couldn’t move— as hundreds of thousands of golden eyes watched him succumb to the pyre. He was bounded by his wrists and legs to a metal beam, its white hot touch causing more agony. Briefly, his mind reminded him that what he was tied to was once a Maypole, the same one he danced around as a child in springs. Ribbons of flames melted his flesh as he struggled to make heads or tails of that thought._

_He wasn’t dying; the fire was not that merciful. A booming voice filled his core, terror and anger mixing in a suffocating concoction that choked him as much as the black smoke._

_“You understand why you must be punished, Sheikah?”_

_The thick desert accent was not lost on Sheik. His throat was closing and eyes reduced to nothing. Still, his body refused to die. Stubborn as always, it would seem._

_“Treason,” the booming voice answered for him. “You were playing in a war you could not possibly win, boy.”_

_Sheik felt the Gerudo’s harsh hands reach into the pyre and grab his throat, his shoulders, his legs, and skull. Hundreds of fingers dug their thick nails into his flesh as impossible hours passed. Sheik could not scream. He could not cry. He could not die._

_“You failed, little Stealthfin.”_

_Sheik blinked rabidly, Ganondorf’s hands replaced by cold, scaly claws. The golden eyes of hatred and malicious joy replaced by empty black orbs. The onyx eyes of Zora stared at him, unblinking. The fire crackled and halted its dance, red flames freezing into thick ice that burned in a whole different way. Smoke turned to water that filled his lungs, freezing him from the inside out._

_“You let us die.”_

_No. No, the Zora couldn’t be—_

_“You let him take us, Sheik.”_

_No! No, he didn’t! The Zora are safe. The Zora can’t possibly be—_

_“You left us to die by his hand.”_

_Princess Ruto stood before him, tears of fury in her eyes. He tried to speak, but the ice in his body paralyzed him. She placed both her hands on his cheeks, glaring with more hatred than the Desert King._

_“I was right about you, Sheik. Hyrule has fell and we all know who to blame.”_

_Her razor sharp claws dug deep into his cheeks as she pulled down, blood mixing with his tears as he finally was able to scream._

———

Sheik bolted from his bed, choking back Zelda’s screams that threatened to burst from his throat. Cold sweat covered his body as fat tears rolled down his cheeks. He curled up on his cot, coughing harshly through his sobs. He stiffened more as his bed creaked and a hand was placed on his back.

Lady Impa rubbed slow, wide circles on his back, waiting patiently for him to calm. When his shaking finally died down to small tremors, she spoke quietly.

“What was it this time?”

Sheik took a deep breath and let it out in a painful, stuttering groan. 

“Same thing it’s been for the last week,” he muttered. 

Impa hummed softly in thought, applying slightly more pressure to his back.

“… Zelda think’s its prophetic in a way.” His voice was small. Impa’s hand stilled.

“The Zora aren’t safe,” his voice elaborated, accent slightly twinged. 

“I’ll send scouts out tomorrow to check,” his mentor said, “For now, you must try to rest. The Gorons have told me the Hero has freed most of their captive brethren so it’s only a matter of time before he returns.”

Sheik was silent as Impa gave him one last pat on the back and stood. He listened to her footsteps descend the stairs, her keys jiggling as she unlocked the door, and finally the door shutting behind her as she left into the night. He counted to one hundred slowly, breathing in and out as he waited. Quietly, he stood from his bed.

_“I don’t want her to get upset.”_

Sheik nodded, agreeing with the princess’s thoughts. However, they couldn’t wait until morning, they both knew that. He wrapped his face and hair as Zelda went through his mind and collected any bit of information she could about helping the aquatic race. He let her shuffle through his childhood memories. A brief flash of Zora children begging him to teach them how to play his harp brought a small smile to his face. 

Medicinal information from her own studies floated through his mind as well: Zora’s weaknesses to dry heat and electricity, their superior healing abilities and their long life span, their evolution and even ancient hibernation habits. He pulled the last cord of his bracers tightly as she compared their memories of Ruto’s actual hands and the dream-Ruto’s claws. The Zora’s princess voice from when they were younger echoed softly: _If Hyrule falls to Ganon’s wish…_

“You have to forgive her,” Sheik uttered under his breath. 

He slid his Deku seeds into his pouch and adjusted his knives. Zelda didn’t respond as he took one last look around. With a small pat to Miss Moo-Moo’s muzzle, he made his way to the Domain.

———

Plucking the last few cords of the Serenade of Water, Lake Hylia materialized around Sheik. An eerie chill raked down his spine as he stepped off the warp slab. He froze, eyes wide as he took in the lake— Or rather, lack there of.

_“No…”_

Sheik vaulted off the small island and hit the dry lake bed running. The ancient columns that marked the Domain’s entrance were pale in the half-moon’s light, foreboding trickles of frost glimmering like jewels on their stony faces. He could have screamed when the sheet of ice greeted him at the gateway. 

He ripped a dagger out from his holster and slammed it against the block, chipping off hunks at a time as he repeatedly stabbed it. Slowly— oh, so slowly— he made a path wide enough for him to wiggle through. Shards of ice caught on his cowl as he shimmed his way through the narrow tunnel he carved out, frost collecting on his eyelashes. He clawed his way out and into the main pool of the Zora’s home, gasping for air as he finally squeezed out of the constrictive pathway.

There was total silence as he took in his surroundings. Claw marks scrapped the surface of the ice, evidence of Zora trying to scramble out of the Domain as something approached them. He knelt, dusting away some of the snow to reveal the contents of the ice.

All his blood drained from his face as Zelda horror shot through him like a bolt of lightning, paralyzing him as he stared at what lay beneath the frozen pool. The unmoving faces of Zora stared back at him, mouths open in mid scream before the still hands of cursed winter ceased their movements. Hundreds of black eyes were looking up at him without seeing, wailing without sounds. Agony and fear twisted like vines around his throat as he forced himself to look away. He took a deep, unsteady breath as bile threatened to spill from his stomach. He stood, not bothering to brushing the loose frost and snow from his pants.

Far off, almost inaudible, a small _plip_ of water sounded. His ears twitched, eyes darting to the source. Nothing moved, the Domain as still as the people beneath his feet. Then, another few drips echoed out.

_Plip… plip… plip…_

_“It’s coming from near the throne room,”_ Zelda realized. Sheik nodded and ran up the ramp. 

He gripped his dagger tightly as he met the eyes of King Du Bon, cursed red ice capitulating him like an insect in amber. The dripping continued from behind him and Sheik steeled himself. He climbed over the monarch (with as much dignity as one could) and walked out to Lord Jabu-Jabu’s abandoned spring. Following his ears, he skated across the mini icebergs like stepping stones. 

_I guess long Hylian ears aren’t such a curse_ , he mused. 

Upon entering the ice cavern, he sucked in a harsh breath through his teeth. There, on the floor of the cave, lay an unconscious Princess Ruto. She had a nasty gash across her face, her blue blood freezing as it dripped to the floor. Without a second though, Sheik skidded to his knees and ripped a shred of cloth from his mask. 

“ _She’s breathing, but she needs fresh water,”_ Zelda urged as he tended her wound. 

Before Sheik could respond, Ruto stirred. He sighed softly and gently touched her shoulder, his other hand still applying pressure to her gash. The cloth stuck to her like a tongue to a pole in winter. She gave a small groan as she screwed her eyes tight in pain.

“Ruto,” Sheik whispered, “Wake up. Please.”

Black eyes blinked blearily open, unfocused as she whimpered pathetically. Partial relief relaxed his shoulders.

“Sh-Sheik…? What are you…?” 

Before the Sheikah could respond, Ruto’s eyes shot open with sudden panic. She shuffled up into a sitting position, ignoring Sheik’s urgings for her to take it easy.

“The others!” she cried, “They’re- ! I have to go!”

“Wait, you can’t just-“

Fat tears flowed from the Zora’s eyes as she turned to Sheik. “N-No, I have to. Please, Sheik. They’ll die if I don’t do anything!”

Sheik paused, eyes wide as he watched the princess break into sobs. Her sharp tongue was gone as pure sorrow and grief washed over her like a monsoon. Her body shook violently as she buried her face in her hands, her wails breaking every now and then with hiccups. The Sheikah felt his arms move.

He didn’t stop Zelda as she wrapped her arms around Ruto and pulled her to his chest. His lips shushed her and his hands made gentle, wide circles on her back. Ruto’s head fell onto his shoulder as she gripped him, claws digging into his clothes like they were the only things keeping her from falling into the abyss. As her gills gradually returned to their normal rhythm and her breathing calmed, she pulled away.

“I’m sorry, Sheik,” she whispered.

He blinked. She was looking down, her brow furrowed and her eyes determined. Her hands were cupped tightly together.

“I’m sorry I’ve been so awful to you. You are a good man, young Sheikah.” She stood, still not making eye contact but held out a hand for him, the other in a fist at her side. “You did not deserve the harsh treatments I have given you.”

He blinked again, confusion masked as successfully as he could as both him and Zelda cautiously observed her. He took her hand and stood.

“I have to go to the Temple,” Ruto muttered, “The Desert King has put a curse deep inside of it. I have to find it and expel it from the lake as soon as possible.”

“I have to advise against that, Princess,” he replied quickly.

She gave a sad smile, shaking her head. “I know. That’s why I’m sorry for this, as well. Sheik, I have to save my people.”

Before he could ask her what she meant, Sheik was blinded by one of his own Deku seeds. He hissed loudly, covering his eyes as his muscles seized. When he could breath again, Ruto was gone. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short chapter but I didn't like the way I was transitioning from this scene to the next one coming up. I figured a chapter break would be better :)

**Author's Note:**

> I read a head-canon about Sheik and Zelda being fused in spirit years ago (like, 2005-ish) and just was thinking about it the other day- if you ask me a specific question I'd do my best to answer it for you. 
> 
> Comments and Kudos keep me going so... :D


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